Friend Turned Stranger
by bakuratrash
Summary: AU where Ryou is the only one with an item and Yuugi doesn't know about it. Watch as Ryou's personality changes through his best friend's eyes. (Heartshipping if you squint)
1. Chapter 1

_**Hello my friends! This was an idea that came to my mind and I just had to get it started! This chapter is a little short, but the others should be a lot longer.**_

 _ **This is a sort of AU where Ryou is the only one with an item. There aren't really any fics with Yuugi's POV or how he feels about Ryou and the item. I don't want to give the whole plot away, so I'll stop there. Enjoy!**_

 **Friend Turned Stranger**

Yuugi walked up to his friend's humble apartment that day, a cheery smile on his face. He had a gift. A beautiful little green box holding a cute little gift shop trinket. It was a 'Ghost Compass', or at least, that's what the shop owner had told him. "Find any ghost, anytime anywhere!" Yuugi laughed on the inside when the shopkeeper said this. It reminded him a lot of Ryou who at this point should have answered the door.

"Ryou?" The short boy called out, placing his small hand on the doorknob and frowning when it opened. "Ryou? Are you home?" Yuugi pouted a bit, trying to figure out if this was a weird game that Ryou made up. That happened quite often. Just last week Ryou told him to meet him in the park after calling him around midnight. Yuugi thought something horrible had happened, but when he got there, his heart practically pounding out of his chest, Yuugi found Ryou laying out in the night on a blanket, looking up at the stars with a telescope next to him. "Glad you made it," He had said without even having to look away from the shining sky, "I was afraid you wouldn't come."

This, however, did not seem like one of those times.

Yuugi entered the tiny home, the entrance eerily dark. He felt along the cool wall for the light switch, gasping when he saw the sight of Ryou's usually neat area. "R-Ryou? Seriously, this isn't funny anymore!" The boy stepped in further, stepping over broken pieces of glass and what looked like..broken eggs? "Ryou, I swear, if you're trying to summon that spirit that was in your dream.." As Yuugi trailed off, there was a loud thump coming from the bedroom and Yuugi darted in that direction and practically kicked the door open. "Ry-Ryou!"

Laying on the ground was Ryou. Blood trickling down his chin and his eyes closed. He looked sort of..dead to Yuugi. Was he?

"Ryou? Oh god..Ryou are you okay?" Yuugi cautiously stepped closer to his friend's body, getting down on his knees and looking closely at Ryou's face. "Ryou oh god..What happened?" As he moved his hand close to Ryou's face intentions to caress it, Yuugi saw something rather odd. A fang? Last time he recalled, Ryou didn't have such sharp-

"BLEH!" The seemingly dead corpse of Ryou reached up and pulled Yuugi down, lightly nibbling on the boy's neck. "Man, had I kept that going you were most definitely going to cry!" He said through a fit of laughter, moving Yuugi off of him and sitting him down. The smaller of the two looked a little..angry.

And he was angry.

Yuugi shook his head and stood up glaring down at the pale boy below. "Are you kidding me?! I thought you were _dead,_ Ryou! You destroyed your whole apartment just for a stupid prank?! Why?" His glare softened into an almost sad expression, his eyes closing. "Dammit Ryou..That's not cool, okay?" When he opened his eyes, he saw Ryou just staring back at him, no expression whatsoever. "Well?"

"Well what?" Was the response, causing Yuugi to blink in disbelief. "What am I supposed to say?"

Yuugi frowned at that, blinking a few times to try to comprehend if that was actually what Ryou had said. He would never question Yuugi. Not that Yuugi was superior in any way, no, but they never argued. Ryou would apologize as soon as Yuugi got upset. The boy couldn't figure it out, but something was so off. Ryou wasn't Ryou, but he definitely was. Yuugi didn't doubt that Ryou did all this just to prank him, but why were they about to fight? They never ever _ever_ fight.

"Ryou, I expect you to be a little more mature. You're going to be seventeen! Why do you still act like you're twelve? And don't tell me don't! Have you seen your living room?" Yuugi crossed his arms and tapped his foot, just as a mother would when scolding their child. "What were you thinking?" He watched as Ryou rolled his eyes and stood up, showing that he was, most definitely, taller than Yuugi.

"How are you going to tell _me_ to grow up?" Ryou mumble through his fake fangs, taking them out and wiping the fake blood from his mouth. "You still play those stupid card games! What good is that going to do you? At least I've be-"

"Ryou! You play those 'stupid card games' with me! I'm talking about this ghost hunting phase of yours. Get over it already! You need to come back into the real world because this-this fake spirit stargazing time travel shit is just-It's ridiculous. I can't believe you don't see anything wrong with worrying your best friend..?" Towards the end of his argument, Yuugi's voice became softer and he almost felt bad.

Until Ryou replied with a mumble;

"Who said you were my best friend?"

Yuugi was almost blown away, his eyes blinking. "What?"

And Ryou's voice was louder, more clear. "I said you're not my best friend, Yuugi."

"What do you know about friends!" was Yuugi's horrible, backstabbing defense, "You don't know anyone else besides me! You don't have any friends, Bakura. Now you're alone, okay? Don't call me for awhile."

Yuugi turned around and immediately started to storm out of Ryou's apartment, not caring about the broken glass cracking beneath his shoes or the way he had slammed the front door. "Good riddance," He mumbled, shoving his hands in his pockets and starting the walk back to his own home, not once looking back.

* * *

As soon as Yuugi got home, he stomped right up the stairs to his room, ignoring the worried frown on his grandfather's face. What was that stupid kid thinking? Did Ryou honestly expect to get away with such a stupid prank? Whatever it was the other was thinking would happen it didn't. Yuugi was tired of it. He was tired of all the camp outings to the park, he was tired of all the stupid ghost traps being set up in his room when Ryou came to sleep over, he was tired of telling Ryou not to spend so much money on novelty artifacts, he was tired of play that stupid RPG. Yuugi was, in all honesty, tired of Ryou.

When the albino teen first came to Domino High, he was the perfect target for bullies. Of course, this affected Yuugi in a very positive way and he was able to walk home on time without bruises for about a month. However, as the time went by, Yuugi watched Ryou sort of..deteriorate. He had gotten skinny since he started and he looked paler than how his skin-tone usually was. That was when Yuugi decided to sit at lunch with him. He had offered Ryou his sandwich and the pale boy had never looked so happy to see someone sit next to him. That day, as Yuugi walked his new friend home, was the first and only time he had ever seen him cry. The two stayed friends for almost two years now, but now it seemed as though it was coming to an end.

The first time they had hung out, just the two of them, was at the local Burger World. Yuugi had never seen someone down two burgers until that day. "Ryou! When was the last time you ate?" Yuugi had asked, and what Ryou said made Yuugi laugh: "I ate at lunch. Why do you ask?"

It wasn't funny at all, but Yuugi could already tell Ryou was a very interesting guy. So he befriended him.

Weeks later, they were hanging out anywhere they could after school and on the weekends. When they were at Ryou's, they watched horror films and stayed up late playing video games. When they went to Yuugi's, Yuugi would teach Ryou to play Duel Monsters and every time he would improve. They were always so willing to try new things, especially for eachother, but now Yuugi felt like he needed to get away from that. Maybe it was the shock of his best friend almost dying, or maybe it was the guilt of-Oh god..

Yuugi got up from his thoughtful position on his bed and walked to the desk, staring at the phone that sat there. It seemed to stare back at him, taunting him in a way. "You said he didn't have any friends. You called him by his last name," it seemed to say, drawing ever so close to Yuugi's hand until he picked it up, dialing Ryou's number from memory. "Please answer.." he mumbled to himself, tapping his fingers on the desk as he leaned down on it.

Ryou didn't answer and didn't go to school for three days.


	2. Chapter 2

After the three days of being Ryou-less, Yuugi was on the brink of a mental breakdown. Or at least, he thought he was. Each time he would enter the classroom he stared at Ryou's empty seat. What hurt the most was that he seemed to be the only one who noticed. Jou didn't notice, not Anzu, not Honda. It was concerning and the fact that what he had said about Ryou not having any friends was so hauntingly true was what really punched Yuugi in the face.

Everyday at lunch he would sit at the table he and Ryou had claimed, staring at the doors in hopes his favorite white haired friend would come. For three days he didn't. On the fourth day, he arrived. The smile on his face was so disgustingly fake, the first time Yuugi saw him he almost didn't recognize him. "Hey!" he said as Ryou walked into class later than usual, Yuugi quickly running up to him and walking them to Ryou's desk, "What happened? Are you okay? I..I'm really sorry about last time. I didn't mean any of it I just-"

Ryou shook his head and offered him a smile, saying that it was fine and that he shouldn't have acted how he did. From there, everything seemed to go back to normal. Ryou and Yuugi ate lunch together and Yuugi filled him on what he had missed.

* * *

After school, the boys walked each other home, Yuugi intending on walking Ryou to his apartment. "No. Can we go to your place? I don't have any food or..anything there. You don't mind, do you?" Ryou had asked, stopping in his tracks to do so. At this, Yuugi frowned, furrowing his brows as he tried to figure out the true meaning of the questions. As he stared at his friend, he noticed something so..dull. It was as if there was a film, slowly covering his eyes, but it didn't completely cover them. Yuugi had agreed that they could go to his place. Afterall, he still had that ghost compass to give Ryou.

The walk was eerily quiet. Neither of them had much to say, and when Yuugi would try to start a conversation, Ryou would always answer with single words. 'Yes', 'no', 'I guess'. It was always the same thing. It left Yuugi wondering what happened when he left. What had happened in those three days? It was rude to ask, but it was his right as a friend to know what was going on. As they walked in that silence, Yuugi watched Ryou. He watched him as he nodded, as he walked slowly, as each step was hesitant. He watched Ryou keep his face hidden behind his hair and soon, Yuugi would grow to miss when Ryou would put it up and shake it in his face. It was a tradition, almost, to do such a thing. Whenever Ryou would get hot, he'd put his hair up and wave it around in Yuugi's face so he'd sneeze. It was hot, but Ryou's hair was down. Soon, though, they had approached the game shop where Yuugi resided and walked up the stairs to his bedroom, Yuugi hopping on his bed and Ryou taking a hesitant seat next to him. "So..What did you want to do?" The white haired boy had asked, eyes cast down in his lap.

"Well, I have a gift for you! I meant to give it to you earlier, but I didn't get the..uh, chance." The smaller of the two hopped off the bed and walked to his desk, opening a drawer and pulling out the green gift box. He glanced up at the phone and decided to question his best friend now since he was here. "Hey, when I called you Sunday, why didn't you answer? I-I mean, I could understand if-"

"My phone broke," Came the immediate reply.

Yuugi retaliated just as quick. "But I called your landline.."

Sighing, Ryou shook his head, still keeping his eyes down. "Yeah. That's what I meant. My landline it..I think it was cut by someone…"

"What?! Ryou, someone broke into your apartment?"

Yuugi knew something was up! Maybe..Maybe when he left Ryou was robbed and..What if the thief hurt him? That would explain the distance and the not going to school..Ryou probably just didn't want to start much of a fuss.

"Ah..No. No one broke in. That would be pretty cool, though. I could totally banish them with that new spell book I bought!"

That was just enough of a distraction to change the subject.

"Oh! Yeah, your gift!" Yuugi stepped closer to the bed and hopped back on next to Ryou, smiling at him. "Here," he handed the box to Ryou, "You're gonna love it."

And it really seemed like he did. Ryou had opened the box and a bright smile shown across his face. Oh how Yuugi had missed that smile! It seemed that Ryou had come back to the real world and came back to his usual politeness. He thanked Yuugi over and over and even hugged him, gazing at the artifact as if it were the eighth wonder of the world. The rest of that day, the boys played Duel Monsters and just a few video games. At around 7 o'clock, Ryou decided he needed to leave and he waved good-bye to Yuugi, collected his ghost compass, and left.

He didn't go to school the next day.

* * *

When Ryou had come back to school the following Monday, he ran up to Yuugi and greeted him, smiling to the point of grinning. "Yuugi! Hey! I'm so sorry I didn't call you Friday to fill you in, but guess what!"

Yuugi wanted to be mad, but he couldn't possibly argue when Ryou looked so happy. He smiled back, told Ryou to go on, and listened to his joyous news.

Apparently Ryou's father had called him, and from what Yuugi learned over the past year and a half, that was very important. Unlike most kids, Ryou lived alone in that apartment of his while his father paid the rent. Ryou's father was working outside of Domino and in other countries and such, leaving Ryou to fend for himself. To Yuugi, this was just cruel. He had tried to understand it and look at it from Ryou's perspective a few times, but each time he did he felt like crying. How someone could live alone like that for so long and basically become an adult when they're just fifteen and sixteen was beyond Yuugi's capability to imagine, but Ryou was living proof that it could be done. And, of course, Yuugi was happy that Ryou was happy.

As the albino kept talking, it sounded like his father was supposed to be coming home. Yuugi's smile grew brighter as he heard the excitement in Ryou's voice. It really was important.

"That's so great, Ryou! When is he coming?"

"Saturday night! He called me yesterday to tell me he was already packing and making plans to get a ticket! Yuugi, I'm so excited!" To show that he was, Ryou wrapped his arms around his best friend and hugged him tight, picking him up and spinning around in a circle. "This is so exciting!"

Yuugi blushed and, when he was put down, had to gather himself before he could speak again. "D-Do you think he'll bring you anything this time? Like that necklace thing?"

Ryou's smile instantly fell and he turned away.

"I-I..I don't..I don't know. Yuugi, I gotta get to class now, okay? I'll call you after I have dinner tonight. Bye!" With that, Ryou turned and gave Yuugi an obvious fake smile and waved, scurrying off to his class to be..about ten minutes early.

He didn't call after dinner.

When Yuugi didn't receive that call, he started to worry about his friend. Yeah, he was worried before, but it really wasn't like Ryou to be so..distant. He always kept his promises. Like when he had promised Yuugi to take him to the arcade for his birthday that was two months away, he never forgot. Ryou walked to his house on that Saturday morning and was all ready to go. Yuugi still in his pajamas.

Ryou was reliable, like that time he reminded Yuugi to do that huge report two days before it was due so he wouldn't stress about it.

Ryou was honest, like that time when Yuugi had bought a ridiculous outfit and Ryou told him he couldn't wear it in public. That's what friends do! And lately, Ryou didn't seem like he was being a friend.

A week had passed and Ryou missed two more days of school.

When Saturday finally rolled around, Yuugi woke up in the morning irritated and ready to approach Ryou about his behavior this past week. Today, Ryou had no excuse to not be at home tidying up for his father's arrival. When Yuugi had gotten to Ryou's apartment, that was exactly what Ryou was doing.

Yuugi knocked once, then twice, then three times before Ryou answered. "Y-Yuugi!" he said, jumping a little, "Why..um, why are you here? Is something the matter?" Nonchalantly, Ryou closed the door a bit, shoving his face in the path of Yuugi's vision of the apartment. "I'm really busy right now.."

"Busy?" Yuugi tried his hardest not to scowl or shove open the door. No, he stayed calm for as long as he possibly could. "Well, do you want me to help you? I'm not doing anything right now.I don't mind."

Ryou nibbled on his lip and Yuugi could already tell he was going to make up some excuse. However, Ryou stepped back and reluctantly let Yuugi in, quickly walking off into the kitchen to finish doing whatever it was he was doing before Yuugi had arrived. "So..Did you want me to do something or..?" Yuugi had asked after about 5 minutes, interrupting Ryou's scrubbing of the counter.

"No. You can just, do whatever. I already cleaned the bedrooms, so you don't have to do those." Ryou didn't look up and continued to scrub down the already clean counter with an intense haste. Yuugi walked over to him and placed his hand over the other's, stopping Ryou's scrubbing. Ryou had flinched, it very obvious and not going unnoticed by Yuugi.

"Ryou.." Yuugi moved his hand back down at his side, tilting his head as he studied Ryou's face. "What's going on? You can tell me, you know. Are you sick? Is that why you haven't been going to school?" He watched as Ryou's eyes became shifty and how his body shuddered as if getting a chill. Ryou responded with a snappy stutter.

"W-What makes you think that's any of your business? I don't-I don't have to tell you everything all the time. You're not my father." Ryou bit on his lip, then, as if he were holding back a whimper or something. "If you're going to interrogate me, you can leave."

"No."

"What?"

Yuugi grabbed Ryou's wrist and pulled him out to the living room, Ryou quickly swatting him away and taking steps backwards. "Don't do that! D-Don't touch me!" When Yuugi turned around, he saw Ryou's face: Wide eyes, furrowed brows, heavy breathing. Something wasn't right.

"Ryou, I just grabbed your wrist.. I-I didn't mean to-Ryou! What happened?!" Yuugi pointed to Ryou's wrist, the skin purple and green and practically every color of the rainbow. That couldn't have possibly been from just now.

"Get out, Yuugi! Don't..Just..You don't-you _won't_ get it, okay? Leave me alone and let me do this _one thing_ by myself. I'm fine and I don't have to answer to you." Ryou was visibly shaking and he didn't look upset or angry. More like scared and distressed. Yuugi wanted nothing more than to help his friend, to just have a talk about what was going on..

But he left.

Yuugi left Ryou's apartment and couldn't get himself to look back. He was disgusted with himself, but the sight of his best friend's wrist kept haunting him. How something like that could have happened was just so..unbelievable. Ryou lived alone, so no one else was in the apartment. Yuugi was always with him and Ryou was super nice to everyone, so there was really no one who would hate him that much. He also wasn't at school much anymore, so it couldn't have been bullies..

What was it?

Time had passed through the day and Yuugi had called up Jounouchi to try and keep his mind off the Ryou problem. He felt awful for doing so, but if Ryou wasn't going to talk to him, then Yuugi just won't talk to Ryou.

But Jou was so different from Ryou.

It was about 8 o'clock when Jou had finally left, leaving Yuugi to his thoughts once again. The boy had contemplated all possible options and scenarios, but he just couldn't figure out what could have caused such a bruise. Then, he began to reflect on Ryou's behavior. The way he had flinched and the way he freaked out over a simple, innocent action. Something happened..but what?

 _Ring Ring_

The phone. Yuugi was going to ignore it, but when he managed to pull his cell phone out of his pocket to look at the caller ID, he saw who it was.

"Ryou? Ry are you-"

"Yuugi…? I..Can I come over? I really need to talk to you.."

"Oh! Yeah, of course! Do you need me to-"

"I-I'm here."

Yuugi blinked, quickly getting out of his bed and not hanging up until he opened the door. "Ryou?" At the sight of the puffy eyed Ryou, Yuugi wrapped his arms around him, burying his face into Ryou's jacket. Ryou stiffened.

"Yuugi..I really need to talk to you. Can you let go of me now?"

The smaller nodded and moved away, moving aside so Ryou could walk in. The two walked up to Yuugi's room without a word and Ryou sat down on the bed, running a hand through his hair.

Yuugi decided to start the conversation. "Um..How was dinner with your-"

"I can't..We can't be friends anymore, Yuugi."

 _What?_

Ryou continued off of Yuugi's blank expression, his head bowing so his eyes were hidden behind white bangs.

"There's this thing. I-It's like..It doesn't..Yuugi listen. It's not up to me, There's just..I have a lot of things happening at once right now and I want my life back.." Ryou bit down hard on his lip as it began to quiver, tears building up in his eyes. "Yuugi..I know you want to help. I know you're concerned about me, but you need to stay away from me. I can't..I would never forgive myself if something were to happen to you and-"

"Ryou! Ryou, what is going on with you?! It's like, you never talk to me, you don't call, it's just..Why? What's going on? Please, it's okay to tell me-"

Ryou just shook his head and curled himself up, pressing his palms into his eyes as he began to cry. "Yuugi, please stop. Stop it. You can't help me okay? I just.."

And then he exploded.

"Yuugi, I can't do this anymore! I can't walk around, I can't look at anyone, he won't let me! Yuugi _it won't go away!_ I've tried to get rid of him, of _it,_ but it won't leave! It won't leave me alone and everyday it tells me what to do and if I ignore it.."

Yuugi started to cry as well. Seeing Ryou so helpless and so confused was absolutely terrifying. There was obviously something horribly wrong, Ryou wasn't like this. He was strong and mature and knew how to handle everything so well. He was smart and energetic and he was…

Breaking,

Ryou was being broken down and he wasn't letting anyone help him.

"Ryou, please explain what you're talking about. Who is he? What is this 'it'? Are you sad? Did your father do something? When was the last time you ate?"

Ryou only shook his head.

"I told you you wouldn't understand. You can't help me. I really..I need to go home."

Yuugi didn't stop Ryou from getting up and walking down the stairs.

Yuugi didn't call Ryou that night to make sure he had gotten home safely.

Yuugi didn't go to sleep that night because he was looking up all the things Ryou had described to him, but nothing seemed to fit the description.

Ryou didn't go to school that week.

 _ **:0 Angst begins :') I just want you all to be aware that this is probably only gonna be four or five chapters and the last one...woooah man are you all gonna scREAM. Anyway, I hoped you liked this and I hope this makes up for my lack of updating Dark Nights aren't Always Dark Memories...I have to get this one out :')**_

 _ **Reviews are loved and appreciated ?**_


	3. Chapter 3

**At last, I have returned with chapter 3 :)**

Yuugi was in an intense panic. He needed to know-he _had_ to know what was going on. Everything was so confusing and the fact that Ryou wasn't coming to school anymore absolutely terrified him. He began to think that maybe it was his fault somehow. Maybe he shouldn't have said anything or tried to pry into Ryou's life like that...But who else was there to do it? Yuugi called and called, sent at least a hundred messages, but he just couldn't get a hold of Ryou.

By next weekend, Yuugi decided to pay Ryou a visit.

He was probably fine, Yuugi told himself as he walked in the bright afternoon sun. Ryou was just going through a midlife crisis. Before his midlife. Ryou just needed a friend, was all, and it wasn't like Yuugi didn't try. No, it couldn't be that. It wasn't fair that he was being pushed away like this when Ryou was all that was on his mind lately. Yuugi was honestly surprised his own grades hadn't dropped and he could only imagine what Ryou's grades looked like. Ryou cared about school, he always had. Did his work on time, wouldn't miss a due date… It was so odd and, well, sad to see him change so drastically in just a few weeks.

As Yuugi walked to Ryou's apartment, he passed by a strip of shops, deciding to take a look to see if he could find anything for his friend. He peered into the windows, searching for something that he thought would catch Ryou's eye, but eventually just settled for a small bouquet of flowers. That would surely suffice.

* * *

Sitting at his kitchen table, Ryou looked up when he heard a knock at the door. His brows knit and he started to panic, trying to figure out if he should answer or not. Ultimately, the decision was made for him when he was pushed off his chair. " _Answer it,"_ The spirit hissed, kicking Ryou in the side before disappearing. The boy looked at the door and felt tears prick at the corners of his eyes. He knew exactly who it was. "J-Just a minute," He managed to get out as he held his stomach where he had been kicked. Slowly, Ryou got up to his feet and walked to the door, getting pushed again on his way. He had learned to ignore the little things like that lately and placed his hand on the knob.

"Hey Ryou!" Yuugi chirped, moving his head into the crack in the door. "I just thought I'd stop by and hang out for a little? I brought you some flowers!"

Even though he knew who it was, Ryou was still surprised to hear his voice and blinked as the bouquet was shoved in his face. "Ah..Yuugi, I don't-" Suddenly, Ryou's back was pinched and he jumped slightly, surprising both parties. "Sorry, um, yeah, come in." When he had turned around to walk back to the table, Ryou held scowl.

" _Don't be so bitter, Host. I'm allowing you some company."_

Yuugi, meantime, took the liberty of placing the flowers in a vase and placed the vase on the table. "So," he said sitting down across from Ryou. "How are things here? Have you been catching up on school work?" The sad gaze Ryou held as he looked down at the table was what answered Yuugi's question. He didn't like talking much, not anymore, at least. It wasn't Yuugi, it was never him. It was always the Spirit. The Voice. That thing that kept telling him what to do and how to act. Any time Ryou made an effort to defend himself, it resulted in pain. Physical, emotional, all types of pain that he didn't know existed. It wasn't fair, really. He never asked for his father to bring him possessed artifacts. Ryou never asked to be silenced when he tried to speak up in defense of himself or even Yuugi. Lately, however, Ryou just didn't feel like trying anymore.

"Ryou?" Yuugi asked, tilting his head as he tried to read Ryou's vacant expression. "Are you okay?"

What a stupid question to ask. Ryou looked up at him and stared, trying to figure out if the other was serious or not. Was he okay? Was Ryou _okay?_ Oh how he so badly wanted to shout. To scream at the entire world 'No! I'm not okay and the only person on this earth that actually cares is the one person I can't talk to about it!' This wasn't fair! None of this was. Yuugi shouldn't be here and neither should that damned Spirit. Ryou wanted to be alone. He didn't need anyone and if he didn't need anyone, then he didn't need any help. Especially Yuugi's. "I'm fine," He replied finally, looking away with a face. "I don't need you constantly pestering me, Yuugi. Leave me alone."

There. It was out. He should go now right? Before anyone would get hurt..

"What? Ryou, I just got here! You're not going to chase me out like this agai-"

"Yes!" Ryou shouted, standing up. This action earned him a chuckle in his mind. "Yes! I want you out! Out of my house, out of my business, out of my damn life, Yuugi! How many times have I told you you can't help me? Too many. I just want you to leave me. Forever. I hate that you keep coming back. I don't want you here." Reaching into his back pocket, Ryou pulled out the compass Yuugi had given him a while back. There was no need to find any now that there was one inside his head. "Take this back." He tossed it to Yuugi and crossed his arms. "Go away, don't come back, and don't call me. You're not my friend. You never were."

Ryou watched as Yuugi stared down at the gift, noticing tears rolling down his cheeks. He then nodded and, without a word, got up from the table and left. Ryou watched him go, but felt his knees grow weak after the door had closed.

" _Very nicely done, Host. This was exactly how we talked about it."_

Suddenly, Ryou felt himself get draped in a blanket of cold and he looked down to see a pair of arms wrapped around his waist.

" _Now we can have as much fun as we want without him getting in our way. Come, Host, let's play a game…"_

 **Hi I'm still here :) Sorry this chapter is so short, but I really wanted to end it here for the sake of the plot haha. I hope you all are enjoying it so far! I'm going to try to get the next chapter up before next month, but I apologize in advance if I don't D: Reviews are always appreciated! Speaking of YOU ALL ARE SO NICE AND MAKE ME SO HAPPY I HATE HOW THIS IS COMING OUT BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE THE WAY I WRITE BUT you guys make me feel confident thank you thank you ily 3**


	4. Chapter 4

**This chapter is going to mostly be in Ryou's point of view because I'm sure you're all just dying to know what our lovely Spirit of the Ring is doing :') it'll add on to the Angst, I promise :)))**

"A..A game?" Ryou repeated, his gaze still down on the Spirit's arms. "What kind of game?" The boy swallowed nervously, starting to get uncomfortable as the Spirit held him tighter.

" _It's a fun game, Host. I promise. A...What is it you call it now? 'Simon says'?"_

A deep chuckle rumbled in Ryou's ear and he shivered. Lately, he'd been conflicted. This ghost, this ancient entity, was always doing things like this. However, if Ryou had obeyed without trouble, he found that the Spirit would leave him alone for a while, would let him go out on his own without hassling him to steal something. Ryou often thought of it as some sort of manipulation, but he didn't think that this was the Spirit's intention. "I suppose. What are your rules?" The boy let out a small sigh of relief as he felt the Spirit let go, only to jump as it appeared in front of him.

" _Rules? Hm. How wise of you to ask. Listen to what I say and follow along correctly, and there won't be any consequences. That sounds fair, hm?"_ Ah, yes. As if Ryou had the choice to decline. "Okay," he said in response, looking up at the Spirit now to show he was listening, "Let's start then, I suppose."

That was Ryou's first mistake.

The game, unbeknownst to Ryou, had ended up taking the course of a week. Each day more unbearable than the last. Monday, he went to school again, but was told to pick a fight with someone bigger than him. The consequence, if he did not obey, would be never leaving his apartment for the next month. Ryou had no doubts in his mind that the Spirit was capable of such a thing as he'd kept him under some kind of house arrest for days and even a week, all with more consequences hanging on the line. The fight resulted in a badly bruised Ryou and a torn lip.

Unfortunately for Ryou, Yuugi was walking by to witness the scene. He had called for him, for his..what was he? An ex-friend? Whatever it was, Yuugi had come after Ryou, but the latter had run away from him, forcing himself to run even though his ribs had ached with each step. Yuugi didn't need to know. He didn't need to be apart of this and Ryou had deemed the Spirit knowledgeable that day. The Spirit didn't lie to him, not really. He said that Yuugi could get hurt, he could get jealous of the Spirit if Ryou were to tell, and would inevitably dump Ryou as his friend. Ryou had to do it for the sake of himself and for the sake of Yuugi.

The next day, Tuesday, Spirit wouldn't let his Host eat. Not anything all day. The consequence if Ryou were to eat even a crumb was eating everything in the fridge without a break.

" _I will not hesitate to stuff that potentially greedy mouth of yours with everything and anything I find. Do not eat. Not a crumb."_

Ryou didn't forget that and, though it was quite tempting, he obeyed.

Wednesday, Ryou was not so good.

The Spirit ordered him to stay home. Ryou made himself a light breakfast, upon Spirit's orders, and ate it up. The now less groggy Ryou had gotten up to place his plate in the sink, being stopped on his way back to the chair. He felt cold hands hold him in place, and that familiar voice whispered in his ear.

" _Simon says do not scream. Not a sound, not a whimper."_

Ryou had opened his mouth to question it, but then quickly shut it as he felt a pain in his chest. A searing pain. A pain he'd never felt before.

" _Hm..very good, Host. Now stay silent. I'm almost done. I'm so sorry for hurting you like this, but it's the only way.."_

Ryou began to struggle in the Spirit's arms, unable to hold back the scream that pushed its way through his shut mouth. A cold feeling came upon the boy's face and his sound was muffled. The spirit held his hand to Ryou's mouth and clicked his tongue in disappointment.

" _Hm. I thought you'd be better behaved than that. Do you know what this means?"_

At the Spirit's last sentence, the pain went away. The entity guided Ryou's head down and the boy panicked when he saw his shirt stained with blood. He squirmed and shook his head, but the Spirit held him tight in an almost comforting embrace.

" _Sh..It's okay. Don't be afraid. It's okay. Now, we will never be apart from each other, my dear Host.."_

* * *

"I don't know what it is, Jonouchi. It's like he's becoming someone else. He never used to be like that.." Yuugi sighed and his blonde friend brought him in for an awkward hug.

"It'll be okay. Maybe Bakura is just..Going through a tough time. He probably just doesn't want you to get involved in whatever it is." Jonouchi pat Yuugi's head and the latter nodded, pulling himself away. Maybe Jo was right. Ryou was always doing things like that.. Well, at least now he was. It was odd, though. All of it just didn't seem right. There was something more, something Yuugi just couldn't wrap his mind around. For now, though, he figured he'd spend his time with Jounouchi and try to forget about this Ryou situation. It was becoming too much for him to handle.

The boys, Yuugi and Jonouchi bid goodbye after their day together, Yuugi walking home alone. His breath was able to be seen in the dusk air, the weather beginning to get cool with winter fast approaching. Ever since Ryou had given him the gift, Yuugi had started to comprehend the situation. Ryou really wasn't okay. This wasn't a phase, it wasn't some kind of crisis. It was like..An unnatural change. Like Ryou was being controlled by something that was the complete opposite of him, Seeing Ryou a few days ago when he had run away with his lip bleeding and his hands on his ribs was probably more hurtful than when he gave the compass back. Yuugi was supposed to be his best friend. He was supposed to make sure that odd stuff like this didn't happen or could, at least, be fixed. Giving up once again on his thoughts, Yuugi opened up the door to his grandfather's game shop, gasping when he saw who was standing by the counter with a cup of tea in his hand.

* * *

"Ryou, why are you here? I thought you-"

"Can we just forget that? Please? I wasn't-I didn't mean it.." Ryou shifted uncomfortably on Yuugi's bed, looking down into his tea cup. "I came and you weren't here. Where were you?"

The albino lifted his head then, watching as Yuugi turned away from him. "I was.. I was with Jonouchi. We went out for lunch and then went to the arcade," He said, speaking softly.

Ryou blinked, a deep frown forming on his face. Yuugi was already forgetting about him, just as the spirit had said. Of course, Ryou didn't come here of his own free will. This was the consequence. "Oh. Well, I'm glad you're getting out." That said the room grew silent for a moment excepting Ryou's hesitant sip of the tea. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Yuugi turn back to him, brows knit.

"Why did you do that?" He asked, his voice uneven and shaky, "What's going on? Why can't you tell me, Ryou? We're supposed to be friends, right? We used to tell each other everything all the time, but now you're pushing me away and not coming to school and being so secretive about everything and-and.." Yuugi lost his voice a moment, but quickly came up with the words he was trying to say. "Ryou, you're changing. You've changed and I want an explanation. I-I saw that bruise the other day.. _Please,_ tell me what's happening so I can help you."

The two stared at each other a long moment, Ryou's mouth wavering as he tried to find words. He couldn't tell Yuugi. The Spirit would know. In fact, the Spirit was trying to get Ryou to blow Yuugi off again, but he knew he couldn't do that no matter what the consequences were. Everything inside Ryou hurt now. His bruises, the ring stabbed into chest, his mind, and especially, his heart. "I-I never wanted to..to change, Yuugi," He said, swallowing nervously, "My father, last year, got me this thing. It's like a necklace and it..It's why I'm changing. It just happened one day. I woke up and I got a realization that I needed to-"

"Stop bullshitting me, Ryou!" Yuugi shouted, causing Ryou's eyes to widen and his body to flinch back. "Please! I'm tired of hearing your excuses! If you really don't like me, just say so! What you're saying, it doesn't make sense. I'm trying to help you, but you won't be straightforward." Yuugi slid himself off the bed and tugged the cup out of Ryou's hands. "Get out, Ryou. Come back when you're ready to tell me the full, honest truth. I'll be there for you then." Ryou only looked at Yuugi in shock, realizing that he wasn't joking. Slowly, Ryou got off of the bed and silently walked out of the room, down the stairs, and out the game shop entrance, tears threatening to fall from his eyes.

" _Don't cry, Host. He won't be your friend anymore, but I will. You did very good. I'll end our game here. Get some rest, as a good friend would say.."_

The last thing Ryou heard in his mind was a chuckle, his vision going black and his mind drifting elsewhere not long after.

 **Ahahaha yay, cliffhangers :) This is probably only going to be two more chapters, so yeah, that's both sad and exciting I think? Reviews are appreciated, thank you :D**


	5. Chapter 5

**I'M BACK**

Ryou fell. Where, he did not know, but it was cold and dark. Actually, it wasn't cold at all. He couldn't really feel anything anymore. It was almost as if he wasn't in his own body anymore.

And that was precisely it.

Ryou hesitantly opened up his eyes from their shut position, turning around to find an area of the dark place lit up. It was dim, but certainly it was better than the pitch black darkness. He walked over towards the light, and then everything illuminated before him. It looked like his room. Almost exactly, except everything was the opposite. Instead of against the wall on the left, his bed was on the right. There was one thing that he noticed was missing, though; A door.

" _Ah, ah. Your door will come when you earn it. Relax. I will take care of your body."_ A pause. " _ **Our**_ _body."_

Ryou gasped, looking up at the ceiling and around the room to find the source of the voice. It seemed to echo from all parts of the room. It was eerie, but somehow the voice offered comfort, a feeling of familiarity. Perhaps that voice will offer an explanation later and Ryou will learn what this whole 'body' situation meant. Laying himself down on the bed, Ryou let out a sigh. The spirit would protect him.

As Ryou fell into sleep, he didn't know that it had been three days.

* * *

"Stop! No!"

Ryou sat straight up in his bed, his eyes wide and only widening as he tried to see through the dark in his room.

This wasn't the first time he had this dream. Each time it lasted longer and felt so much more real than the last. Ryou would sweat and gasp and whimper, but the Spirit would always come to his aid. This time was no different.

" _What troubles you, my Host? You were sleeping so peacefully."_

Ryou looked around, swallowing nervously. The Spirit rarely showed himself now. Only a few times would Ryou see his face, but the powerful, overcoming voice was more than enough to keep Ryou under control. He didn't like to use that term, but that is certainly what it felt like.

"It was that dream," he murmured, pushing his bangs back and wiping the sweat from his brow. "Do you see it, too? Do you dream what I dream?" Ryou heard a deep chuckle almost immediately after he had asked, the answer he received confusing him.

" _I don't just dream it, Ryou. I live it."_

And then the Spirit's presence faded, leaving Ryou to shake and stare in his bed. The next morning, Ryou didn't feel much like going to school, but his grades were definitely his motivation. The days he had stayed home were affecting his schoolwork and the boy struggled to keep up.

School was the most difficult task, though, because that meant Ryou would have to see Yuugi.

With a heavy heart and a tired pair of eyes, Ryou robotically got himself ready for school. He walked, and when he arrived, the schoolyard was empty.

" _Dear host, what are you doing? I thought school was not held on Saturdays, hm?"_

Saturday? _Saturday?_ "But it-It isn't Saturday. It's Wednesday. I mean-No, it's Thursday! I swear that it is!" Ryou, confused and a little upset, lunged forward and shook the locked gates, tears threatening to fall from his eyes. "I have school! It-I need to go in! I-"

"Ryou?"

Ryou froze, swallowing hard. He slowly turned to see Yuugi, who was staring at him in shock.

"I-Ryou? Are you okay? What are you doing?"

When Yuugi saw Ryou, he almost didn't recognize him. Even though it had only been a few days, he looked completely different. He just never had a chance to get a look at Ryou from afar for a long time, and the little albino teenager looked worse than he had when they first met. He was so thin, his eyes were sunken into his head and his hair looked so brittle. The white, fluff that it once was had disintegrated into a gray-ish, dirty color. Worst of all, Ryou looked scared. He looked like a deer in headlights and it occurred to Yuugi that he _always_ looked like that lately.

"Yuugi, just-Leave me alone," Ryou mumbled, turning away and starting to walk off, but Yuugi ran over to him, running past Ryou to stop him from the front.

"Ryou, please don't go. I miss you. I didn't-I'm so sorry about what I said. I want to help you, really I do I just-"

"You just what?" Ryou interrupted, stepping away from Yuugi, almost in disgust. "You didn't believe me? You think I'm telling ghost stories? Yeah. I was. And I was right. You didn't understand. What else do you want from me?"

Ryou stared down at Yuugi, their eyes bearing the same amount of anger, anxiety, and pain. Yuugi took a deep breath before he replied.

"I want you to let me in, Ryou. Look at yourself. You're shouting at the school on a Saturday. Where were you? Why do you look so sick? Ryou.. I really miss you. I miss going out to lunch with you and coming over to play video games. I miss when you would knock on my door and grin at me with your telescope. Where is your telescope, Ryou? Why won't you stargaze with me anymore?"

The memories sparked something in Ryou's chest. It was a warm feeling, but there was a pain in his head that overpowered it. He held his head in his hands, stepping back and curling in on himself. "Stop! Stop it! Please let go! _Please!"_ Ryou collapsed onto his knees, holding his head, the tears coming from his eyes dripping onto the pavement.

"Ryou!" Yuugi stepped closer to the shaking, whimpering body that looked more like an injured animal than it did human. "Ryou what's-What's going on? What happened? Is it your head? Look at me. Come here." Before Yuugi could inch any closer than he already had, Ryou pulled at his hair and screamed, the sound echoing throughout the empty, Saturday morning streets and lingering in Yuugi's ears even after it had stopped.

Yuugi wasn't sure when he had closed his eyes, but he did, only deciding to open them when he heard a soft chuckle. It grew louder, and it grew more harsh, turning into maniacal cackling. Yuugi could only stare at Ryou as he stood up, something about him having changed.

It was his eyes, definitely. They weren't so dead, but in fact the opposite. It looked as if there were flames burning in his skull that brightened up the brown that would have normally been there. He stood up taller, his body almost looking as if it just wasn't enough to contain the amount of confidence that radiated off him. This.. Surely this wasn't Ryou.

"Ah. So you're the one that has been bothering my new host, hm?" The new voice purred, stepping closer to Yuugi whom only stepped back. "The 'friend' that left Ryou to his own thoughts. The very same person that allowed him to be taken over. _You_ , boy, ought to be ashamed." Looking at the shocked expression on the boy's face was more than amusing to the Spirit, and he couldn't help it when his lips twitched up into a smirk. "Now look what you've done. You've locked him away. Forced him into his own mind."

The Spirit advanced again, hissing his next few words. "How does it feel, Yuugi? To hurt someone you care about?"

Yuugi, too afraid to get any words out of his throat, only stared. What was going on? What happened to Ryou? "Wh-Who are you?" He managed, his eyes darting about the form in front of him, trying to make sense of what was going on. "What happened to Ryou?"

There was a pause, and then a roar of laughter.

"Were you not listening? He is gone for now. _You_ did this to him. I've watched my host, this Ryou Bakura, stress over you day in and day out. Why do you do it, Yuugi Mutou? Why do you hurt your best friend in this way?"

The Spirit grinned, watching as Yuugi's expression faltered into a troubled, guilty one. "That's it. Are you thinking about it? Thinking about the _pain_ and the _hurt_ you've put him through? Just admit it. He was a pity friend, wasn't he. Someone you felt bad for. Someone you felt obligated to change."

Before Yuugi could defend himself, the Spirit reached out and grabbed the boy by the collar, pulling him close enough so that their noses were just centimeters apart. "People like you sicken me. You shove your way into someone's life, and then you get bored of them. Well guess what, Yuugi? Ryou hopes you die alone."

The Spirit easily tossed Yuugi aside and walked away in Ryou's body, leaving Yuugi to stare at the ground. He didn't understand.. There were so many questions he wanted to ask, but most of all, Yuugi wanted to know if it was true. Was that all Ryou was? Someone he felt like he _had_ to help?

For Ryou, it felt like more than that.

He screamed and shouted, every word echoing throughout the dimmed room he'd once again found himself in. Ryou pounded on the walls, yelling and crying out to be released, but his calls went unanswered.

Ryou then began to cry, for more than anything in the entire world, he wanted his friend back.

 **Hello I am so sorry it has been so long please do not give up on me (if any of you are still? Here? And remember this?) Uh,,, there should be about two more chapters after this and then it'll all come to an end :') bless y'all for staying with me and if you love me pls review or leave some constructive criticism thank you! Also i feel like I make this stuff too spaced out but idk i don't really care either lmao :')**


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